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Cision vs Microsoft Start

Cision logo

Cision

News

The complete PR and earned media platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Start has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cision no transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools; Microsoft Start no pricing information available
  • They diverge on capability: Cision covers Media monitoring, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cision and Microsoft Start actually diverge.

Attributes where Cision and Microsoft Start differ
AttributeCisionMicrosoft Start
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Windows
Founded18671975

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (News).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cision

  • Media monitoring
  • PR Newswire distribution
  • Media database
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Influencer identification
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics
  • Slack

Only in Microsoft Start

  • Personalized news
  • Topic following
  • Weather updates
  • Sports scores
  • Finance news
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Windows 11
  • Microsoft Account

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cision

  • Press release distributionnot Microsoft Start
  • Media monitoringnot Microsoft Start
  • PR measurementnot Microsoft Start
  • Media outreachnot Microsoft Start
  • Crisis communicationsnot Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start

  • Daily newsnot Cision
  • Topic trackingnot Cision
  • Weather updatesnot Cision
  • Quick informationnot Cision

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cision

  • No transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools

Microsoft Start

  • No pricing information available
  • Service appears to be consumer-facing rather than commercial product
  • No pricing model published

Pricing, plan by plan

Cision

On request
  • Cision Communications CloudFree
    • Media monitoring
    • Media database
    • PR analytics
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full platform access
    • PR Newswire distribution
    • Custom integrations

Microsoft Start

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Personalized news feed
    • Topic following
    • Cross-device sync

Which should you pick?

Choose Cision if

  • You need media monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pr newswire distribution.
Cision review

Choose Microsoft Start if

  • You need personalized news.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
  • You also want topic following.
Microsoft Start review

Questions people ask

Is Cision or Microsoft Start better?
Neither clearly leads. Cision starts at On request and Microsoft Start at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cision or Microsoft Start?
Microsoft Start has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cision and Free for Microsoft Start.
Does Cision or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
Cision runs on Web, Ios, Android. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
Can I use Microsoft Start for free?
Yes. Microsoft Start has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cision starts at On request.
What is Cision best used for?
Cision is most often used for press release distribution, media monitoring, pr measurement, media outreach. Of those, press release distribution and media monitoring are not what Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
What can Cision do that Microsoft Start cannot?
Cision covers Media monitoring, PR Newswire distribution, Media database, Analytics & reporting. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cision: How much does Cision cost?

Cision does not publish standard pricing on its website. The company offers media monitoring, journalist outreach, and social listening tools through CisionOne platform with pricing based on media monitoring scope, number of keywords, and service level. Contact sales for quotes.

Source
Microsoft Start: How much does Microsoft Start (MSN) cost?

Microsoft Start (formerly MSN.com) is a free service with no subscription required. The platform provides news, weather, and personalized content at no cost to users.

Source
Cision: What services does Cision offer?

Cision offers media monitoring, instant insights and reporting, journalist outreach, social listening and management, professional services, and CisionOne AI. All services are part of the CisionOne unified platform.

Source
Microsoft Start: Does Microsoft Start offer any paid services or premium features?

Microsoft Start does not publish any paid tiers or premium features. The service is entirely free to access and use without any payment or subscription.

Source
Microsoft Start: Are there ads on Microsoft Start?

Microsoft Start provides personalized news and content free of charge. Any advertising present on the service helps support the free platform offering.

Source
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